Dell Latitude Xpi CD - Manual (Page 54)

3-14 Dell Latitude XPi CD Reference and Troubleshooting Guide
tion instructions before running a program’s installation
routine. You may be instructed to modify the initializa-
tion or startup files of your operating system.
When you run the installation routine, be prepared to
respond to prompts for information about how your com-
puter’s operating system is configured, what type of
computer you have, and what peripherals are connected
to your computer.
Initialization or Startup Files
Whenever you start or reboot your computer, your oper-
ating system executes commands it finds in its
initialization or startup files.
These files contain commands that automatically config-
ure the operating environment by setting system
parameters, starting memory-resident programs, and
loading device driver software. If you experience pro-
gram conflicts or memory error messages, check the
commands for memory-resident programs in the initial-
ization or startup files of your operating system. If a
program or peripheral does not work correctly, check the
product’s documentation to see if you need to modify
these files.
Expanded and Extended Memory
If you operate your computer with MS-DOS, the operat-
ing system makes only 640 kilobytes (KB) (called
conventional memory) of the first 1 megabyte (MB) of system
memory available for use by application programs. Some
programs require more than 640 KB of memory and, there-
fore, cannot be run with conventional memory alone. Other
programs run much faster when they have more than 1 MB of
memory to use.
When you boot your computer, MS-DOS recognizes
memory in excess of 1 MB as extended memory. Some, but
not all, application programs require the use of extended
memory.
Other MS-DOS application programs are able to use
extended memory only if it is first converted into
expanded memory by an expanded memory manager (EMM).
Under the following conditions, expanded memory can
greatly enhance the computer’s ability to use application
programs that require more memory than is available in
the conventional memory area:
• The application program is written for use with
expanded memory.
• The EMM driver is installed and properly initialized.
Improper use of an EMM can lead to conflicts between
the expanded-memory operation and any installed PC
Cards, which may be assigned memory areas that overlap
memory areas that the EMM is using.
Using Software
The following subsections discuss errors that can occur
while using your software.
Error Messages
Error messages can be produced by an application pro-
gram, the operating system, or the computer. “Messages
and Codes,” found earlier in this chapter, discusses the
error messages that are generated by the computer. If you
receive an error message that is not listed in that section,
check your operating system or application program
documentation.
Input Errors
If a specific key or set of keys is pressed at the wrong
time, a program may give you unexpected results. See the
documentation that came with your application program to
make sure the values or characters you are entering are valid.
Make sure the operating environment is set up to accom-
modate the programs you use. Keep in mind that
whenever you change the parameters of the computer’s
operating environment, you may affect the successful
operation of your programs. Occasionally, when you
modify the operating environment, you may need to rein-
stall a program that no longer runs properly.
Memory-Resident Programs
There are a variety of utilities and supplementary pro-
grams that can be loaded either when the computer boots
or from an operating system prompt. These programs are
designed to stay resident in system memory and thus
always be available for use. Because they remain in the
computer’s memory, memory conflicts and errors can